Wick for oil burners



July 30, 1935. J. M. WEAVER WICK FOR OIL BURNERS Filed July so, 1952 In/manto@ Patented `uly 30, 1.935

UNITED STATES 2,009,665 WICK Fon OIL BURNEns Jesse ,M. YWeaver, Charleston, S. C., assigner to Raybestos-Manhattan, Incorporated, Passaic, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application Jul'y 3o, 1932, serial No. 626,262

3 Claims.

Y This invention relates` to new and useful improvements in wicks for oil burners and has for an object the providing of an improved Wick whereby the desired operating blueviiame of an oil 8 burner is quickly obtained after the oil burner is ignited. f

Another object is to provide a wick which may be manufactured more cheaply than the wicks heretofore provided.

A further object is to provide afwick having the advantages stated and which includes a strengthening core of non-combustible material orof a material which has been treated to render it non-combustible.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with `the accompanying drawing wherein satisfactory .em-

bodiments of the invention are shown. However, it will be understoodthatthe invention-is not limited tothe detailsjdisclosed Abut includes. all such variations and modicationsas fall within the .spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims. y Y,

In the drawing: y 1 y' Fig. 1 is an elevational view showing a portion of a- Wick made in accordance with the present invention; l

Fig. 2 is a similar view on an enlarged scale Fig. 3 is a. transverse sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; l. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2'but illustrating a. wick not including `a strengthening core;

5.-:Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view takensubstantially along the line 5-5 of Fig.`4; w

Fig. 6 i's a detailed view illustrating a portion of a metal reinforced strand which may be einployed in the forming of the improved Wick;

Fig. 7 is an end view of the strand of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional view through a wick braided of strands similar to the strand of Figs. 6 and 7 and Fig. 9 is a detail sectional4 View through the lower portion of an oil burner showing the location of the wicks therein.

Referring in detail to the drawing and at first to Fig. 9, at I0 are shown wicks in place in an oil burner a portion of which is generally indicated by the reference character II Oil is supplied to the burner through pipe I2 and flows to the circular channels or troughs I3 which receive the lower portions of the wicks I0. These troughs are connected by passages l3a to carry oil from the inner to the outer trough. Seated on the flanges of the troughs are the usual perforated sheet metal shells 9 providing the combustion and air supply chambers 8 and 'I respectively. When the burner is not in operation there is no oil in these channels and when the oil is turned into the channels a taper or other igniting means is ap-` plied to the `upper edges of the wicks I0 at several different points, it being understood that theV oil will be soakedup bythe wicks and by capillary action is carried to the upper edges of the wicks.v The original flame is not very intenserand until, the oil and the various metal parts of the burner, particularly the shellsv9,`become heatedso as tol vaporize the` oil a blue ame is not obtained. However, after a certain period of time the oilY andthe metal parts become, heated by the flame from the wick and a combustible gas is obtained with the result that the burner operates witha hot blue llame. Heretofore the Wicksrl have been formed of Woven fabric in which the capillary actionis slow and some little time is consumed before the'oil reaches the upper end of the wick and before a blue flame is obtained. The present invention provides a wick which can 4be ignited more vquickly than can the usual Woven wick and in which theA capillary action is `quicker and through the use of which a blue llame is developed much more quickly. A f Referringnow to Figs. l, 2 and 3, the'reference character I 4 indicates my improved wick in its entirety and this wick is in the form of a tube or sheath formed of braidedl strands 24. Within the'braided tube there is disposed a core I5 which may be formed of metalor of a paperso treated aste makepitdiire resistant or thecore4 mayA be formed of'any other suitable non-com-I bustible or lire resistant material. The core maintains the braided sheath in a relatively "flat condition and the wick comprising the core and braided sheath has an upper edge I6 and a lower edge I1, it being understood that either edge may be the upper edge since such will involve only a reversalof the position of the wick.

From Figs. l and 2 of the drawing it will be apparent that the braided strands all occupy an inclined position extending from one edge of the tube to and over the other edge thereof and they all extend in directions which are more nearly vertical than horizontal. In the drawing they are shown as being substantially sixty degrees to the horizontal or thirty degrees to the vertical, but may vary as they are not required to be at just this angle. There are no horizontal strands employed and as the oil moves up one strand by capillary attraction as it engages a second strand at an intersection any oil transferred to the engaged strand will continue to move upwardly therealong. With a woven fabric oil as it moves up a vertical strand when it reaches a cross or warp strand or thread, as these extend horizontally it tends to change its direction of ow and to move laterally along the engaged strand. 'Ihis action in a woven fabric slows up the wick 'since the capillary action is slow. `With the braided wick I4 there is nofdeilection of the oil from a constantly upward course since there are no strands on which the oil may move laterally and, therefore, the wick I4 may be much more quickly ignited.

In actual test with a wick constructed aecording to the present invention and an ordinary woven wick the production of a blue llame with the woven wick required a time interval ,of ap.- proximately double the time required to obtain a blue name with the braided Wick of the above ini/@tiem This-advantage ,in the time interval required' t@ Obtain the blu? m? i .bflled 199 resulttfroln the fact that the capillary action of the-present wick is faster than that'of'a woven wick for the reasonsabove esplaincd. Up to the present time diligent eiiO-i'i and ielSiS ifi-ascertain the reason `for lthe more rapid action has indicatedthe above described action to be the reason. Y

The strands 24 are preferably of ordinary cotton and asbestos yarn or cotton and asbestos yarn with a metallic core aswill be laterv described. The asbestos is incombustible a small amount'of cotton being used to give the yarn the requisite strength for the braiding operation. The yarn or strands' should be fairly firmly twisted for best results but a loose braiding of the strands of yarns is preferred. 'Ivhe loose braiding does not impedethe capillary action but close weaving reduces it very materially as above described.

vIn liigs. 4 and 5 a slightly different Awick generally designated 'I8 is shown and this wick is in the 'form of a flat tube or sheath braided from strands and is the saine as thewick I4 with the exception that no strengthening core is provided. rl'his strengthening core is,Y however, of advantage Since'it will preventthe upper edge if the wik heiiiglbeni out' of viarie by engagement therewith'of 'the taper orother means, which may be employed in igniting the wick. Wick I8 includes an' upper edge i9 anda'lower edge 20 although it will be'understood that either edge may be used as'the upper edge to .be ignited.4

` Figs. 6 and' 7 disclosea strand which may be employed in braiding the wicks and this strand includes a copper or other metallic core 2l enclosed in a covering 22'V of cotton and asbestos yarn. This strand may be used in the braiding of a Wik suchasvis generally indicated at 23 in Fig. 8. Aside from the employment of the particular strand, the wick 23 is of the same construction as the wick I4 although it will be understood that owing to the metallic center 2| wick 23 will be quite rigid Without the employment of a core but may be used with or without the core as desired. This metallic center will be of material advantage in the wick since it will serve to conduct'lieat downwardly through the wick to the oil with the result that the oil will be heated faster and the desired vaporization more quickly obtained.

When the core employed in the wick is of paperV` or `Vother flexible combustible material it may be treated witha solution of silicate of soda to -stiien itandrender it non-combustible or fire-resistant. kThis treatment will also serve to cement the yarn or strands of the braided tube or sheath to the core. When a core is employed the wick may be made by braiding the tube or sheath about vthe core. and-,as described theyarn used, in the wick may be ordinary cotton and asbestos yarn and is loosely braided so as to reduce the capillary impedance. rlhese braided Wicks itherilvii'h '9.1i 'Willian core are less frir-l pensive `to""rrianufacture'ltlan are Woven wicks and in adding@ thrcueltibeir use a blue tame' is 'were iluikly Obtained as above. Sei 'fdiihl'li is'de'sirable tohav'eloos'e braiding of thestrands as this requires much less material and reduces the Capillary impedanelf '1n ,Short braided WickS. eiihefr'wiih 0r Without a' Core are milch.' better in every way than woven wicks of the same class.

Having thus set forth the nature of rny invention, what 1 claim is; Y

`41. AIn a wick, an elongated Ybody having its longitudinal edges forming its upper andV lower edges, 'saidbo'dy'comprising a fiat sheath o! braided strands, and a strengthening vmember of firey resistant material in said sheath to'support the same againstcollapse.

I 2. A wick for van oil'iburnerl comprising-fan elongated body having its longitudinal edges forming itsupper` andlowerfedges; lsaid body comprising a at tube or sheath of multi-strami fabric in which all the strands extendindirectionsimore nearly vertical than4 horizontal, 'and a -flat reinforcing core .of ,re resistant material in said tube or sheath to support the same against collapse... y i

- 3.- In. a wick, anelongated braided sheath,said sheath having itsl longitudinal edgesY formingA its miller and lower edges, a. core of .paper .in said Sheath, and said core having been .treated .with

a SQlutiQn of silicate ttf soda to stiien :it 'and Q.. 

